State Parks Youth Corps Workers Earn National Recognition

September 17, 2010 By

On Sept. 9, Gov. Jay Nixon and the Missouri State Parks Youth Corps (SPYC) were recognized with the 2010 President’s Award from the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD) at the association’s annual meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The award honors extraordinary contributions at the state level to furthering the goal of a system of state parks. In recognizing SPYC, the NAPSD called the program “a workforce for [Missouri’s] state parks and historic sites unprecedented since work by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.”

A new overview of SPYC program accomplishments is available on YouTube. “The young people who made the State Parks Youth Corps a success have helped preserve Missouri’s natural and cultural history, and they’ll be our state’s conservation leaders in the future,” Gov. Nixon said.

 

Filed Under: Initiatives, Research

WIBs serve important role in federal policy for innovation

September 13, 2010 By

The Workforce Innovators Network through the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce (CSW) published a report promoting the role of WIBs as conveners for talent development to meet community needs and economic prosperity. The report spotlights examples of high-performing WIBs to make the case for better federal legislation that funds local WIBs to expand the positive impact.

“CSW is not new to the field of promoting excellence in local workforce boards,” noted Jasen Jones, Executive Director of the Southwest Missouri WIB. ”The WIB Quality Benchmarking national body of research published by CSW in 2006 helped set a baseline and chart the progress of our WIB and dozens of others across the country.”

Jones anticipates using the new CSW report as a tool to engage stakeholders in the growing work of the local WIB and the opportunities emerging for federal workforce policy reform. As one of two Missouri representatives in CSW’s Workforce Innovators Network and the current Secretary/Treasurer for Training and Employment Administrators of Missouri, Jones is eager to expand the scope of influence for local WIBs in state and national workforce legislation and resources.

 

Filed Under: Initiatives, Public Policy, Research, Training & Education

CSW benchmarks quality & innovation in local WIBs

December 14, 2008 By

Missouri led the way in 2007-2008 by funding the efforts with the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce to conduct the WIB Quality Benchmarking initiative.  The research collaborative identified the nation’s leading local Workforce Investment Boards.  Through surveys, on site visits, and focus groups, CSW drafted 16 success factors in common among high-performing WIBs.

The indicators are categorized as Measuring Success, Managing Work of the Board, Working Strategically, and Developing and Managing Financial Resources.  The study provides several key learnings and recommendations for states and regions to consider in local quality initiatives.
Filed Under: Initiatives, Public Policy, Research
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